Wooden pull-along ducks, sold by Drevene Hracky, Czech Republic in the early 1990s

Wooden pull-along toy, duck and ducklings on a flat base which is mounted on six wooden wheels. Each figure consists of a round topped body, a ring neckpiece and a spherical head with a beak attached at the front. The 'duck' wears a flattened round hat. The eyes of each are painted black spots and those of the 'duck' have white surrounds. The dowels run through each body, attaching the heads. The wheel pairs are linked by bent metal axles. Attached to each axle is a wooden dowel extending from the head of each figure. The metal axles run freely, and when the toy is pulled along by a length of white rope knotted at the front of the base, the heads bob up and down.

The wood; which appears to be beech; has been turned and carved then smoothed. It has not been polished or varnished and there remain some roughened parts as well as sharp points.

With the toy is a label, two squares of card linked by an elastic thread and looped around the third figure. The cards are dark green and dark red.

This toy was bought from one of the shops situated at 12 Karlova in the Old Town of Prague, the shop sold wooden toys.

This is a duck pull along toy made in the Czech Republic in the early 1990s. Made from turned wood, the design is contemporary. Traditional craft methods have been used to make the ducks to European safety standards for export purposes.

B.396:1, 2-1994